Definition and Classification of Ecosystem Services for Decision Making

Abstract

This review paper examines various terms used for the definitions and classifications of ecosystem services, often times mixed and confused, in the literature and re-establishes the concepts of important terms, including ecosystem functions, services and benefits, to enhance communication among the stake-holders in the process of decision making. The definitions and scopes of ecosystem services are differentiated depending on the policy purposes such as environmental accounting, environmental valuation and natural resource management. The importance of identification and enumeration of final outputs associated with a particular policy is addressed. In addition, the usefulness of an alternative pathway-analysis beginning from benefits, via services and function, to process/structure of ecosystem is emphasized. ❙Keywords❙ Definition of Ecosystem Services, Classification of Ecosystem Services, Benefits, Decision Making 의사결정지원을 위한 생태계서비스의 정의와 분류